Marine outboard engines for boats or watercraft are typically provided with either a pull-start system or a starter motor. The pull-start system initiates rotation of the crankshaft of the engine by pulling on a rope operatively connected to the crankshaft to start the engine. The starter motor is typically positioned inside the cowling of the marine outboard engine and is connected to one or more batteries separate from the engine and positioned inside the watercraft that provide the electric power to the starter motor to initiate rotation of the crankshaft to start the engine.
In small boats or watercraft, a battery sitting on the deck or inside the hull can be cumbersome and take valuable space. Furthermore, the typically heavy battery must often be loaded and unloaded from the smaller watercraft for maintenance or during transport of the watercraft adding to the inconvenience of the battery. However, a battery powered starter for marine outboard engines allows for an easy engine start.
Pull-start systems on the other hand are incorporated into the marine outboard engine and therefore take no additional space in the watercraft. However, pull-start systems require a certain level of upper body strength from the user in order to start the marine outboard engine as the rope must often be pulled while in the seated position, which some user may find difficult and strenuous to operate.
Thus, there is a need for a marine outboard engine having a starter system that alleviates at least some of the drawback of prior starter systems for marine outboard engine.